The Political Self PDF

LESSON 5 THE POLITICAL SELF LeSSOn ObjectiVeS: a. DeScribe the pOlitical Self. b. Explain the FilipinO identity thrOugh the FilipinO Value S and traitS. c. Examine one’s political self in relation to his or her national identity. EMPOW...

LESSON 5 THE POLITICAL SELF LeSSOn ObjectiVeS: a. DeScribe the pOlitical Self. b. Explain the FilipinO identity thrOugh the FilipinO Value S and traitS. c. Examine one’s political self in relation to his or her national identity. EMPOWER If you are to say something about being a ‘Filipino,’ what would it be? Will you name famous personalities such as Jose Rizal or Manny Pacquiao or will you describe the Filipino’s skin color, the FilipinO language, the FilipinO race and ethnicity, the FilipinO trait S and ValueS, Or Simply deScribe the beauty of the Philippines? Answering the question, ’Who are the Filipinos?’ may seem so easy but do we really knOw whO iS a FilipinO? SectiOn 1 Of Article IV Of the 1987 Philippine COn StitutiOn defineS the FilipinO citizenS aS fOllOwS:  ThOSe whO are citizen S Of the PhilippineS at the time Of the adOptiOn Of the 1987 COnStitutiOn;  ThOSe whOSe fatherS Or mOtherS are FilipinO citizenS;  ThOSe bOrn befOre January 17, 1973 Of FilipinO mOtherS, whO elect Philippine citizenShip upOn reaching the age Of majOrity; and  ThOSe whO are naturalized in accOrdance with law. HoweVer, an indiVidual’s citizenship (which, according to Ayson & Reyes (2008) refers to his/her memberShip in a pOlitical cOmmunity enjOying pOlitical and ciVil right S) iS nOt the Only definitiOn Of being a Filipino, or one’s political self. In this lesson, you will learn that the one’s culture, race and ethnicity, religiOn and phySical characteriSticS are nOt the Only indicatOrS Of being a FilipinO. We knOw fOr a fact that the great majOrity Of the Philippine pOpulatiOn i S bOund tOgether by a rich hiStOry which StemS frOm a diVerSity Of beliefS, culture, language and religiOn frOm centurieS Of cOntact with different cOlOnizerS and ciVilizatiOnS Of bOth the EaSt and the WeSt. Hence, FilipinO ValueS and traitS frOm thiS eVOlutiOn haVe emerged, which alSO make up a FilipinO. (An excerpt from Garcia’s textbook in Philippine History for College Students, 2015) Many fOreign natiOnalS characterized the FilipinO peOple with cOmmendable traitS and ValueS (FSI, 2003). AmOng theSe are: being warm, friendly and intimate peOple; caring and Sharing peOple; family-centered peOple; and highly Spiritual peOple. , , We enjOy being with OtherS. ThiS particular trait enableS uS tO ea Sily adjuSt tO Other natiOnalitieS. While many peOple in the wOrld haVe becOme interperSOnal in their relatiOn Ship with OtherS, FilipinOS preSerVed their being intimate with their friendS and acquaintanceS. ThuS, it iS rare tO find a FilipinO dining Or gOing tO mOVieS alOne, fOr they prefer tO be with cOmpany. UnderStanding the Self Unit II: Unpacking the Self  Owing tO the fact that peOple haVe the ability tO under Stand the feelingS and cOncernS Of OtherS, Our cOuntry haS been perceiVed aS e SSentially caring and Sharing. We find it ea Sy tO empathize with Our fellOwS in their prOblem S, triumphS and failureS. ThiS iS eVident in Our bayanihan Spirit. ThiS caring and Sharing Value prOfeSSed by the FilipinO peOple iS an indicatiOn that there iS a StrOng SenSe Of belOnging in FilipinO cOmmunity. The FilipinO cOnSiderS hiS family Vital tO hiS achieVement Of perSOnal happineSS and well-being. ThiS StemS frOm the nature Of the FilipinO family, which iS clOSely knit and SOcially cOheSiVe. FOr a FilipinO, the family iS a SuppOrt SyStem that prOVideS him and the Other family memberS nOt Only with financial but alSO emOtiOnal Security in trOubled and StreSSful timeS. We are a highly religiOuS peOple. We belieVe that there iS GOd gOVerning the wOrld and the deStiny Of itS peOple. AS a cOnSequence Of thiS philOSOphy, we haVe becOme tOlerant, reSilient and braVe in the face Of prOblematic circum StanceS. Other traitS and ValueS identified by AndreS and AndreS (1987) in Garcia (2015), include amOr-prOpiO, pakikiSama, Sen SitiVity tO perSOnal affrOnt, euphemiSm, and cleanlineSS. - “Amor propio” is Spanish word which means self –lOVe; a SenSe Of Self-eSteem Or Self re Spect that preVentS a perSOn frOm SwallOwing hiS pride. FOr inStance, when inSulted by a friend, yOu can expect a FilipinO nOt tO accept any help Offered tO him by that friend whO inSulted him. TO damage another person’s amor-prOpiO iS tO inVite cOnflict, eVen ViOlence. ThiS trait iS Very impOrtant tO a FilipinO. FOr uS FilipinOS, pakikiSama iS eaSe Of getting alOng with Our fellOwS fOr the purpOSe Of maintaining gOOd and harmOniOuS relatiOnShipS bOth within and OutSide Our hOmeS. AS a reSult Of pakikiSama, Our peerS, cO-wOrkerS, and eVen neighbOrS SOcially accept uS. ThuS, when One becOmeS SucceSSful in hiS career Or bu SineSS, he ha S tO be Very careful in nOt Setting uS aSide hiS friendS, OtherwiSe he wOuld be labeled aS nOt wOrthy Of their friendShip in aS much aS he had becOme Very arrOgant. AlthOugh the FilipinO haS becOme tOO dependent Owing tO hiS clOSeneSS tO hiS family, he alSO craVeS fOr independence. He wantS tO be On hiS Own. TO uS, pagSaSarili iS the ardent deSire tO be aperSOn in Our Own right. PagSaSarili iS Often manifeSted in Our deSire tO get a gOOd educatiOn, earnmOdeSt incOme, and imprOVe Our ecOnOmic StatuS fOr uS tO SuppOrt OurSelVeS, withOut fOrgetting Or diSregarding Our reSpectiVe familieS. The FilipinO aVOidS perSOnal affrOnt Or the feeling Of hiya. TO uS, hiya iS a feeling Of anxiety, fear Of being expOSed, fear Of abandOnment. AS pOinted by AndreS and AndreS (1987), it iS thiS hiya that regulateS Our SOcial behaViOr aS a peOple. ThuS, we feel a deep SenSe Of Shame when we fail tO UnderStanding the Self Unit II: Unpacking the Self fOllOw the StandardS Of Our SOciety. While a FilipinO aVOidS perSOnal affrOnt, he alSO trieS nOt tO cauSe embarra SSment tO hiS fellOwS. FOr inStance, when he refu SeS tO grant the faVOrS a Sked frOm him by OtherS, he trieS tO aVOid Offending them by explaining the reaSOnS behind hiS refuSal tO dO SO. FilipinOS are generally euphemiStic. We are Skillful in Stating an unplea Sant truth, OpiniOn Or requeSt in pleaSant way. EuphemiSm iS highly regarded in Our SOciety eVen tOday. ThuS, we aVOid uttering harSh Or inSulting wOrdS when refu Sing faVOrS a Sked fOrm uS. OftentimeS, we are quOted saying, “I’ll see” or “I’ll try.” Rarely would you hear them say ‘no.’ We are a generally clean peOple, aS children are trained tO keep themSelVeS clean during their early yearS. GirlS and bOy S are taught perSOnal hygiene by their mOtherS, eVen in areaS where there are nO bathrOOmS. TO uS taking a bath eVeryday iS a ritual. While we try tO maintain the cleanlineSS Of Our hOmeS and SurrOunding, we, hOweVer, haVe the tendency tO di Sregard ruleS On cleanlineSS when we ViSit public placeS. AccOrding tO Garcia, there are Other traitS and ValueS pOSSeSSed by FilipinOS aS cited in Zaide (1987) and AgOncillO (1990). AmOng them are the fOllOwing: prOpen Sity fOr gambling, extraVagance, hOSpitality, reSpect fOr elderS, fataliSm, lOyalty tO a friend Or benefactOr, tendency tO be indOlent, indiVidualiSm, lack Of initiatiVe and regiOnaliSm. FilipinOS are fOnd Of betting fOr almOSt eVerything. ThiS can be cOnSidered One Of Our weakneSSeS aS peOple. We lay bet On which team will win the baSketball champiOnShip, which amOng the preSidential candidateS wOuld win, Or whether the firSt child wOuld be a bOy Or girl and many mOre. AmOng the many gameS Of chance, FilipinOS are engaged in include jueteng ,ending ScOre in baSketball, mahjOng, SabOng and hOrSe raceS. The FilipinOS in celebratiOn Of tOwn fieSta, wedding, baptiSm, birthday and graduatiOn Often diSplay thiS trait. During Such OccaSiOn, FilipinOS Spend laViShly fOr fOOd, clOtheS, giftS, decOratiOnS and giVeawayS. ThiS iS mOSt admired trait Of the FilipinO peOple. We receiVe Our Vi SitOrS warmly and make them feel that they are in their Own hOme. We Offer them the beSt Of what we haVe and make them feel cOnVenient, while they are with uS. ThiS trait iS practiced nOt Only by the rich FilipinOS but eVen the ma SSeS. One Of the nOrmS in Our SOciety iS reSpect fOr elderS. ThiS reSpect iS ShOwn in Our uSe Of pOlite UnderStanding the Self Unit II: Unpacking the Self expreSSiOn like pO and OpO when talking tO elder peOple. TO uS, lack Of reSpect fOr elderS iS taken tO mean aS lack Of breeding in the family. BeSideS, elderly men and wOmen in Our SOciety demand that they be reSpected and Obeyed. FilipinOS are generally fataliStic. We belieVe that what happenS tO uS iS due tO Our fate Or deStiny. ThiS fataliStic OutlOOk in life iS Often manifeSted in Our expreSSiOn ‘bahala na.’ When cOnfrOnted with a prOblem Or a difficulty, we Often Say bahala na aS if we haVe nOthing tO dO with what happenS tO uS. A S a reSult, we Often accept whateVer life bringS tO uS, withOut queStiOn. ThiS trait iS Very StrOng amOng uS FilipinOS. We are grateful tO thOSe peOple whO had helped uS in different way S. All the memberS Of the family thrOughOut their liVeS will fOreVer remember thiS help. Once aided in hiS need, the FilipinO iS expected tO be lOyal tO hiS friend and expected tO reciprOcate that help in SOme Other way S. ThuS, lOyalty tO a friend Or benefactOr iS One Of the factOrS that cOuld explain why SOme unwOrthy OfficialS are elected tO Office during electiOn time. ThiS particular trait waS attributed by Dr. JOSe Rizal tO the trOpical climate the cOuntry haS. NOnetheleSS, there are Other reaSOnS fOr the inclinatiOn Of Our peOple tO be lazy. A S a cOnSequence Of clOSe family tieS, many Of Our peOple are prOne nOt tO exert tOO much effOrt in SOlVing their perSOnal and financial needS aS they are aSSured that their family memberS and relatiVeS will cOme tO their reScue in timeS Of graVe needS and adVerSitieS. The FilipinO iS alSO indiVidualiStic. He SeemS nOt tO be cOncerned with the welfare Of OtherS. He wOuld nOt dare extend help tO SOmebOdy in the crime Scene cOnSidering that hiS welfare iS nOt at Statke. InStead Of lending hiS hand tO the One in need at that time, he wOuld paSS the Other Side Of the rOad, aS if nOthing happened On hiS way. According to Agoncillo (1990), this trait can be accounted for by the Filipino’s fear of cOmpetitiOn. A FilipinO can be cOmpared tO a nail, which ha S tO be hammered fOr it tO penetrate the pOSt. Take fOr inStance Our cOllege Student tOday. They will nOt Study their leSSOnS unleSS they are tOld that a quiz iS tO be giVen next meeting Or VOlunteer tO dO library re Search On a tOpic unleSS aSSigned by their prOfeSSOrS. In additiOn tO the fOregOing traitS and ValueS, we are alSO a highly regiOnaliStic peOple. We tend tO be lOyal tO the regiOn where we belOng. ThiS regiOnaliStic attitude iS Very much preValent during electiOn time. PeOple wOuld rather SuppOrt a candidate cOming frOm their regiOn inStead Of VOting for the candidate coming from another region, despite the latter’s qualification, competence and track recOrd. The FilipinO peOple are alSO diVerSe in termS Of regiOnal differenceS due tO VariatiOnS in UnderStanding the Self Unit II: Unpacking the Self ecOnOmic cOnditiOnS and geOgraphical lOcatiOnS (AndreS & AndreS, 1987 and AgOncillO, 1990). IlOcanOS and thOSe liVing in the NOrth are called kuripOt but in truth, they are thrifty becau Se they Value their hard-earned mOney wiSely. FOr peOple whO liVe in a lOcatiOn Such aS theirS, extra hardwOrk iS neceSSary in Order tO harVeSt crOpS. ThuS, they learned tO Spend their incOme On eSSentialS Only. The TagalOgS in LuzOn belieVe that they are SuperiOr amOng the FilipinOS prObably becauSe they liVe in the country’s center of economic, cultural and political actiVities. The ViSayanS, hOweVer, haVe a tendency tO be lazy, which can be attributed tO the fact that they are in a lOcatiOn where the SOil yieldS crOpS eaSily, allOwing them tO earn a definite incOme. AS a reSult, they are characterized tO be happy-gO-lucky and are prOne tO merry-making that inVOlVeS Singing, dancing and drinking. In the SOuth Of the cOuntry are the MuSlimS whO are Often cOnSidered aS the fierceSt lOVerS Of freedOm which can be attributed tO the fact that fOreign inVaderS were unSucceSSful in cOnquering their regiOn during the cOlOnial periOd Of the Philippine hiStOry. It iS nOtewOrthy tO identify a number Of FilipinO characteristics according to the country’s Department Of TOuriSm. FilipinOS are fOnd Of muSic and dance. Our lOVe Of SOSyalan (SOcializing), dancing and muSic, culminate in the prOVince-wide Street party and tOwn talent ShOw – the fieSta (feStiVal). We are great SuppOrterS Of fieStaS as eVident we join the parade of elaborate townfolk’s crafty work of the flOatS, maSqueradeS, mud feStS, pilgrim prOceSSiOnS, pageant partieS, and iSland- Style partieS. FilipinOS are alSO naturally artiStic aS Seen in Our inclinatiOn fOr cOlOr and craft SmanShip eVen OutSide muSeum S and gallerieS. ThiS can alSO be realized in the kindS Of handicraft, deSign and faShiOn that FilipinOS prOduce here and abrOad. Simply take a glimp Se Of Our churcheS Or Our parkS, Our natiVe baro’t saya and the early jeepney S On the rOad. If there iS One perSOn whO cOuld beSt repreSent the rich culture Of Kalinga, it iS nOne Other than ApO Whang Od, alSO knOwn aS Maria Oggay, the "laSt" and OldeSt mambabatOk Of the Butbut peOple Of the larger Kalinga ethnic grOup (Catalan, 2016). She haS been tattOOing fOr the paSt 80 yearS. Whang-Od iS a liVing prOOf of the tribe’s batOk (hand-tapping) culture, putting the Philippine map On https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=apo+whang+od+tattoo&rlz=1C1 the muSt-ViSit placeS fOr lOcal and CHBD_enPH767PH7 67&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahU KEwjRzP-Q2KXbAhXLGpQKHdEZBzwQ_ AUICigB&biw=1517& bih=735#imgrc=KV_-AveKU9RyAM: fOreignerS alike. An expreSSiOn Of cOurage, beauty and art, tattOOS are in theSe day S. https://theculturetrip.com/asia/philippines/articles/meet-apo-whang-od-the-last-hand-poke- The Department Of TOuriSm (DOT) alSO identifieS Our diStinct tattoo-artist-in-the-philippines/ cuiSine aS anOther marker Of FilipinOS, which came frOm the cOmfOrt fOOd that remind S FilipinOS Of family, hOme, and Simple jOyS. Our adObO (pOrk Stewed in garlic, SOy Sauce and Vinegar) haS aS many recipeS aS the many iSlandS in the cOuntry. But FilipinOS (and eVen fOreignerS) lOVe it. UnderStanding the Self Unit II: Unpacking the Self  Three centurieS under SpaniSh rule fOllOwed by 50 yearS Of American influence haS made the PhilippineS an ASian cOuntry unlike any Other. Indeed, it iS amazing tO experience theSe unique ValueS and traitS Of the FilipinOS (Garcia, 2015). The PhilippineS iS a Vibrant demOcracy, aS eVidenced by 12 EngliSh natiOnal newSpaperS, 7 natiOnal teleViSiOn StatiOnS, hundredS Of cable TV StatiOn S, and 2,000 radiO StatiOnS (Sable, 2016). The diStinguiShing feature Of demOcracy, aS Stated by Garcia (2015) in hiS bOOk entitled, Philippine GOVernment and COnStitutiOn, iS that the gOVernment deriVeS itS authOrity frOm the peOple. Hence, demOcracy meanS gOVernment by the peOple, ether directly Or indirectly with free and frequent electiOn S, which iS the cOrnerStOne Of demOcratic inStitutiOnS. VOterS See their pOwer tO chOOSe their leaderS aS their StrOngeSt check On the behaViOr Of the gOVernment, their One chance tO exact accOuntability. AnalyStS and cOmmentatOrS haVe branded pOlitical campaigns in the Philippines as “highly entertaining.” The mix Of Old pOlitical clanS, ShOwbiz perSOnalitieS and the eVer- preSent SOng and dance during campaignS prOVide plenty Of amuSement. DeSpite theSe, the FilipinOS giVe SO much impOrtance On the pOwer tO chOOSe a pOlitical leaderaS it iS a right and a reSpOnSibility at the Same time. In the PhilippineS, a gOVernment that engageS itS citizenS in itS https://www.google.com.ph/search?rlz=1C1CHBD_enPH767PH767&biw=1517&bih=735&tbm=isch&sa=1&e i=iJAKW8XXKIq80gTbiqYQ&q=election+in+the+philippines+&oq=election+in+the+philippines+&gs_l=img.3.. deciSiOn-making can cOunt On the truSt Of itS electOrate fOr 0j0i30k1j0i5i30k1l2j0i8i30k1l4j0i24k1l2.10343.17786.0.18011.30.23.2.3.3.0.142.2015.17j6.23.0....0...1c.1.64. img..2.21.1606...0i67k1.0.AC6DNNjz0Oc#imgrc=lOUZI92TRHIVJM: public SuppOrt. In a study conducted by Sable in 2016 entitled, “Democratizing democracy in the Philippines,” he described the current attributes of Philippine democracy then and now as “democracy on the Surface Only... aS Oligarchic intereStS perVade in the SyStem, pOwer and affluence Of the pOlitical eliteS make wealth inacceSSible tO the pOOr, deciSiOn-makerS remain unaccOuntable fOr their actiOnS and gOVernance iS weak in termS Of pOlicy-making and implementatiOn. Miranda, et.al. (2011) a SSerted On a rigOrOuS re-examinatiOn Of the cOncept Of demOcracy in the cOuntry, belieVing that the PhilippineS iS by nO meanS a demOcracy, but Simply a façade Of it. Lucham, et.al. (1998) in Sable (2016) belieVed that fOr true demOcracy tO be implemented in the Philippines, there should be a “process of implanting formal institutions of liberal democracy, norm creatiOn and cultural change tO facilitate One which accOmmOdate S diVerSity, OppOSitiOn and which aims at building social consensus.” AlthOugh many pOlitical analyStS and ecOnOmiStS belieVe that demOcracy in the cOuntry iS juSt a demOcracy Of fOrmality (Sable 2016), the Philippine gOVernment StriVeS tO prOmOte demOcracy thrOugh giVe perSOnal liberty, which includeS freedOm Of expreSSiOn, equality Of OppOrtunity, reSpect fOr the indiVidual and pOpular cOn Sent (Garcia, 2015). UnderStanding the Self Unit II: Unpacking the Self Abad, J. (2014). What the PhilippineS tellS uS abOut demOcracy. Article Of the WOrld EcOnOmic FOrum On EaSt ASia retrieVed frOm httpS://www.wefOrum.Org/agenda/2014/05/philippineS -demOcracy- eaSt-aSia-2014/ laSt March 4, 2017. AgOncillO, T. (1990). HiStOry Of the FilipinO PeOple. QuezOn City: GarOtech PubliShing. AySOn, F. & ReyeS, D. (2000). FundamentalS Of POlitical Science (2 nd Ed.). MandaluyOng City: NatiOnal BOOk StOre. Catalan, Maria Elena (OctOber 5, 2016). "ChaSing Whang–Od, the OldeSt Kalinga mambabatOk". Sun Star BaguiO. RetrieVed frOm http://www.SunStar.cOm.ph/article/102315/ laSt February 28, 2017 Garcia, C. (2015). Philippine HiStOry fOr COllege StudentS. MandaluyOng City: BOOkS Atbp. PubliShing COrp. Miranda, F., RiVera, T., ROnaS, M. & HOlmeS, R. (2011). ChaSing the Wind: ASSeSSing Philippine DemOcracy. QuezOn City: COmmiSSiOn On Human RightS Of the PhilippineS (CHRP) with the SuppOrt Of the United NatiOnS DeVelOpment PrOgramme (UNDP). RetrieVed frOm http://www.OmbudSman.gOV.ph/ UNDP4/wp-cOntent/uplOadS/2013/03/DEMOCRACY-with-INDEX-LAYOUT-JAN-04-2012.pdf Sable, S. (2016). DemOcratizing demOcracy in the PhilippineS. COnference Paper retrieVed frOm httpS://www.reSearchgate.netpublicatiOn/309390546_DemOcratizing_demOcracy_in_the_ PhilippineS laSt April 2 2017. DOi: 10.13140RG2.2.12797.56801 www.tOuriSm.gOV.ph VideO: KapuSO MO, JeSSica SOhO: Munting Obra para kay ApO Whang-Od [KapuSO MO, JeSSica SOhO: Small Art fOr ApO Whang-Od]. Official YOuTube channel Of GMA Public AffairS (VideO Of the February 26, 2017 epiSOde Of KapuSO MO, JeSSica SOhO where the hOSt Said that Whang-Od turned 100 On February 17, 2017) (in TagalOg). GMA NewS. February 26, 2017. RetrieVed frOm httpS:// www.yOutube.cOm/watch?V=bXfwrL9COI0 laSt February 28, 2017. UnderStanding the Self Unit II: Unpacking the Self UnderStanding the Self Unit II: Unpacking the Self UnderStanding the Self Unit II: Unpacking the Self